Former Astro Biggio admits Hall consideration never figured into career plans

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All Craig Biggio could think about when he entered professional baseball in 1987 was surviving.

Maybe he could carve out a decent career. If so, hopefully he could stick around long enough to earn a pension.

Franchise records, All-Star Games and World Series appearances weren’t on his radar. The Hall of Fame? The furthest thing from Biggio’s young mind.

Ballots for the 2013 Hall of Fame class will be issued this week to media members; candidates will officially be announced Wednesday. Results will be disclosed Jan. 9 for a controversial list of names that will include first-timers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza and Sammy Sosa.

Biggio also is a first-timer. And if he receives a once-in-a-lifetime confirmation call — a thought he’s playing down — the lifetime Astro who spent 20 major league seasons with the organization and is employed as a special assistant to general manager Jeff Luhnow said Monday the moment will be humbling and surreal.

“It’s an incredible feeling. It’s hard to put into words,” Biggio, 46, said during a news conference at Minute Maid Park. “I just loved to play the game. I would’ve played it for free if that’s what I had to do. I just enjoyed the game for what it was. It never was anything to do with trying to get yourself in the Hall of Fame.”

Biggio can submit quite the résumé for potential Hall enshrinement. The highlights: 3,060 hits, 1,844 runs and a .281 batting average during 2,850 career games that saw him play catcher, second base and the outfield.

“I’ve been very lucky and fortunate to be around good people, a great organization,” Biggio said. “It was a lot of special memories at a special time.”

In a media statement, Astros owner Jim Crane referred to Biggio as an “iconic” player who’s a “superb representative of the city, the fans and the game of baseball.”

Crane’s praise was echoed by Luhnow, who joined the owner in asserting Biggio’s worthiness to be elected on the first ballot.

“From our perspective, he’s not only a Hall of Fame player but a Hall of Fame man and very deserving of any accolades coming his way,” Luhnow said.

With Bonds, Clemens and Sosa dominating conversation about a potential 2013 class that includes several former stars linked to performance-enhancing drugs, some believe Biggio could sneak into the Hall in January as a safe, respected choice.

Asked Monday if the theory undersells his accomplishments, Biggio’s response was simple: He devoted 20 years to the Show and did everything the Astros asked.

“Hopefully, the writers feel strongly that they liked what they saw, and we’ll see what happens,” Biggio said.

And if Biggio isn’t the only Astro who receives a confirmation call? Now in his third year of eligibility, longtime teammate Jeff Bagwell was named on 56 percent of the ballots (75 percent is necessary for election) in the last vote.

“How cool would that be to get two of your Houston guys in at the same time?” Biggio said.